Review: Don't Touch Anything Red (Wii U eShop)

Game titles aren't usually quite as literal as Don't Touch Anything Red is, which was developed by Helix Games. In this game you attempt to survive as long as possible on an auto-scrolling screen filled with Red hazards, in hopes of reaching a new high score.

In the single player mode the only two options are for Arcade and Gravity Modes. These two modes are identical except one has two options, jumping and flipping gravity to the ceiling, while Gravity mode doesn't include jumping. The goal is to get as far as possible while picking up point boosts and of course avoiding anything red.

Jumping feels awkward, and some powerups are placed in ways that you cannot actually pick them up without dying. Switching gravity around works decently enough. These mechanics shouldn't be the main selling point of the game however, as there isn't anything new here at all. Indeed, Don't Touch Anything Red feels largely like an extremely basic version of any sidescrolling runner, and with less charm.

Thankfully Multiplayer brings in some friends and more creative modes to make this a much more enjoyable experience. Multiplayer has a Co-op mode in which you and up to three other friends work together to make it as far as possible, which leads to a fun time of chaotic struggling. The other option is the versus mode, which pits a gamepad player against four other players. Here the gamepad player drops the red onto the field in real time, which leads to a game of seeing who can survive the longest.

Versus mode is fun and definitely the highlight of Don't Touch Anything Red, and is a blast provided you have friends to play with. The drawback here is that if you're looking for a substantial single player game, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. Despite its graphical and mechanical simplicity, Don't Touch Anything Red offers up a quick, small batch of fun for friends at a low price.